Washing-system.



H. SJDOWNERD.

WASHING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4.4915.

1,183,805. Patented Maylfi, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET WwsmJ'VowmmW THE COLUMBIA FLANoaRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

H. s.' nown m). WASHING SYSTEM,

' i APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4. 1915. 1,183,805. Patented May 16, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

(\Xv cams owmx O THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH .c0.. WASHINGTON D. C.

HIRAM s. nownnim, or. RICHMOND, iNnrANA.

WASHING SYSTEM.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented May 16, 191

Application filed February 4, 1915. Serial No. 6,196.1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM. S. DOWNERD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vashing Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to washing systems, and especially systems intended ,for washing sand, gravel, or the like, although it is to be understood that the utility of this system is not confined to washing such materials.

An object of the present invention is the conservation of the water employed in washing the materials thereby insuring economy in power for pumping the requisite wash water. This object is carried out in my system which comprises a set of washers arranged in series, the last of the series delivering to a settling tank, a reservoir into which escapes the used water overflowing from said tank, means for conveying this water back to the first washer of the series where the material is dirtiest, means for supplying clean water to the second washer of the series, and a de-watering device between the first and second washers by which the soiled water used in the first washing is drained out of the material as it passes to the second washer in which it is treated with clean water.

The invention also contemplates the use of screens'of successively smaller mesh in the respective washers of the series, and spouts atthe outlet ends of these screens whereby the stones and gravel in successively decreasingsizes may be graded out of the material, leaving the screenings to pass along through the series.

In carrying out these I general ideas the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will'be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. v

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view in side elevation somewhat diagrammatic of a system embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through an intermediate washer, omitting the lifters and agitators. Fig. 3 is'a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

'1 as three in number,

In the washer 22,'and the water rising to water introduced Fig. 4: watering element of the washer, herein called the drain Fig.5 is a view of one of thede-watering lifts shown in edge elevation. Fig. 6 is a view of one of the dewatermg lifts shown in end elevation.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The improved washing system which is a sectional view showing the deforms the subject-matter of this application comprises a'series of washers shown atFig. although it is to be understood that the numberis wholly immaterial to the present invention.

At 10 is shown the initial washer, shown as a rotary screen with a hopper 11 intowhich the material to be washed is introduced and from which it is discharged into the initial washer 10 through the spout here 12. Under the washer 10 a deck 13'is constructed in position to receive material screened out and discharged through the perforations of the washer 10, and to discharge such material or coarse screenings into the upper 14 the material is subjected to washing by fresh and clean water supplied through'the pipe 15 from any convenient source of supply, shown diagrammatically at 16, water being employed as the pump shown conventionally at 17. The water supplied through the-pipe 15 andsuch material as is of small enough size to constitute fine screenings, pass through the washer 14 are discharged upon the deck 18 and pass thence into a third washer 19. The water and such material as is fine enough (probably sand) to pass through the mesh of the washer 19 are discharged upon 'a deck 20 and into a settling tank 21, where the material isdischarged through a spout the top overflows deck 2 k and into a through a spout 23 upon a end of the second washer 14.

any means of raising such the perforations of reservoir 25, from which reservoir it is raised by any convenient or'desirable-form of pump as shown conventionally at 26, through the pipe 27 and is carried into the hopper '11 to enter the initial, washer 10 with the material in its unwashed condition. It will be ap-'.

parent, therefore, that the fresh or clean into the second washer removes froni such material only the dirt remaining after the'initial washing, and that the water so employed in the initial wash-' ity of lifters or buckets de-waterin g section.

- washing member 10 32 to remove any ing is raised and passed throughthefirst washer in a somewhat dirty condition to remove from the fresh material the greater bulk of the dirt ducted therewith. Incidentally spouts 28, 29 and 30 are positioned to receive the material which is graded out and passed over from the screens of the washers 10, 14 and 19 respectively. p 7

It is desirable that the dirty water from the initial washing do not enter the second washer, and that as much of such water as is possible be removed from the material before'it is subjected to the clean. water in the second Washer. To accomplish this, the second washer 14 is provided with a de-watering section or drain 31 into which the screened'material from the initial washer l0 is first discharged, and from such dewatering section is next discharged into the washer 14. This drain is simply a cylinder preferably substantially a continuation of the cylindrical screen 14 and rotating there with, provided with a plurality of agitators 32, shown particularly at Fig. 4. The screenings discharged from the washer 10 to gether with the water discharged through the screen of such/washer are introduced into this drain and are subjected to agitation by the agitators 32 which preferably are composed simply of angle-irons one side of each of which is riveted to the shell of the cylinder. Between the cylinder and the washer 14 an annular head or dam 33 is erected, the annulus being of such width that the water contained within the dam flows over the upper edge of the inclined cylinder and is discharged through the spout 34 without flowing overthe inner edge of the annulus. I

To lift the materialin the de-watering section and transfer it to the washing section of this'interme'diate washer, a pluralare secured to the annulus 33, the same comprising shelf-like radial wings of perforate formation as shown more particularly at 35 having at their inner ends forwardly inclined chutes 36 which permitthe material to slide off as it is lifted and to pass through the annulus as shown more particularly at Fig. 4. Beneath each wing is a radial plate 37 inclined rearwardly to catch the water dripping through the perforations of the shelfire wing and carry it backwardly into the It will therefore be apparent that the water passing through the together 'with the screened material passing through its perforations is conducted into the de-watering section where it is agitated by the agitators dirt still adhering to the particles or pieces of the material, and that the water carrying such impurities is re "moved or drained from such material by the adhering thereto or con-.

supplied thereto, which,

de-watering device, and dischargedto waste through the pipe 34. Only the partially cleansed material therefore is discharged into the washing section of the second washer l4 and subjected to the fresh water after acting upon the material in all the subsequent washers, is reconveyed to the initial washer to begin the cleansing process therein;

The several washers are mounted upon shafts as shown, and driven in any approved manner, preferably (though not necessarily) by means of gears 38 and 39 introduced between the several washing elements and by a gear 40 located at any convenient point to which the initial power is applied.

1. In a washing system, a series of washers, means to pass material to be washed successively through the members of the se- .1 1'

ries, means to introduce fresh washing water to a. member following the first in the series, means to convey the water employed in said member to and use it in subsequent members of the series, pass it back to and washer.

2. In a washing system, a series of washers, means to pass material through the series, a reservoir, means to conduct water from the reservoir to the initial washer, means to drain the water from the material passing to the second washer, means to conduct water from a source of fresh supply to said second washer, and means to conduct the water from the last washer of the series to the reservoir.

3. In a washing system, a series of washers, a source of water supply, means to conduct water from the source of supply to the initial washer and introduce it therein along with the material to be washed, means to conduct the material to the second washer and to simultaneously drain out and discharge the water to waste; a of water supply, means to conduct the water from the second source of supply to the second washer, and means to conduct it from said second washer to the first-mentioned water source.

4. In a washing system, the combination with a number of washers arranged in series and delivering washed material from one to the next, a settling tank into which the last washer delivers, a reservoir into which the soiled water from the last washer and tank flows, means for conveying this water to and using it in the firstwasher, and means" for feeding the soiled material initially into this washer; of means for feeding clean water to and using it in the second washer, and a drain carried by the inlet end of this washer and receiving the material and water from the first, said drain having means for removing the soiled water from use it in the initial second source the material and passing the material into the second washer where it is subjected to clean water.

5. In a washing system, the combination with a number of washers arranged in series and delivering washed material from one to the next, a reservoir into which the soiled water from the last washer flows, means for conveying this water to and using it in the first washer, and means for feeding the soiled material initially into this washer;

of means for feeding clean water to and using it in the second washer, and a drain between the inlet end of this washer and the outlet end of the first, said drain comprising a cylinder rotating on an inclined axis and having an annular dam at its lower end rising to a higher level than the upper end of the cylinder so as to eject the soiled water, and lifters within the cylinder for raising the drained material and passing it over the dam into the second washer.

6. In a washing system, the combination with two washers including rotary screens, means for feeding water to them, and means for handling the screenings and the material graded out; of a drain interposed between the washers and comprising a'cylinder coaxial with the screen of the second washer and receiving the screenings from the first, an annular dam within said cylinder causing the water from the first washer to be drained off, and lifters within said cylinder for carrying the material over the dam into the second washer.

7. In a washing system, the combination with two washers including rotary screens, means for feeding water to them, and means for handling the screenings and the material five cents each,

graded out of a drain interposed between the washers and comprising a cylinder co-axial with the screen of the second washer and receiving the screenings from the first, an annular dam within said cylinder causing the water from the first washer to be drained ofi, radial perforated wings on the inner side of said dam having means for delivering the material over it into the second washer, and radial plates beneath the wings inclined away from the dam for turning back the water 'forations.

8. In a Washing system, the combination with'two washers including rotary screens, means for feeding water to them, and means for handling the screenings and the material graded out; of a drain interposed between the Washers and comprising a cylinder co-aXial with the screen of the second washer and receiving the screenings from the first, an annular dam within said cylinder causing the water from the first washer to be drained 01f, agitators within the wall of said cylinder, radial shelf-like wings of perforate formation carried inside the dam and having chutes at their inner ends for conveying the material into the second washer, and radial imperforate plates beneath the wings inclined in a direction opposite to said chutes ter dripping through said perforations.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM S. DOWNERD.

Witnesses:

Rom. T. LANG, L. L. MORRILL.

by addressing'the Commissioner of Iatentu.

Washington, D. 0.

for turning back the wadripping throughssaid pera 

